August 17: Weekly Focus
August – Service
Service is the practice of putting love into action by meeting the needs of others. It reflects the heart of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. Through service we learn humility, compassion, and the joy of giving ourselves for the good of others. This month we focus on service as a way of living out God’s love in everyday life.
Week of August 17- Week 33
Reading:
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” Matthew 16:24–25 (NLT)
Service means giving up our own way and following Jesus. True life is found in self-giving love and sacrifice.
Reflection Questions:
1. What does Jesus teach about the cost of following Him?
2. How does service require you to let go of self-centeredness?
3. What does taking up your cross look like in daily life?
4. How does service bring meaning and joy to your faith?
5. What is one way you can follow Jesus by serving sacrificially this week?
Why this matters for life today:
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet to show that no act of service is beneath us. Serving others in practical ways, even when it is inconvenient, points people toward the love of God in real and tangible ways.
Take it Deeper:
- Following Jesus means giving up our own way to serve Him wholeheartedly.
12What does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. Deuteronomy 10:12 (NLT)
- Jesus contrasted the worldly view of greatness with His own model of leadership, teaching that true significance in God’s kingdom comes from serving others.
27Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. Luke 22:27 (NLT)